Tanging Ina
Ang Tanging Ina (English: The Only Mother) is a 2003 Filipino comedy film, starring Ai-Ai de las Alas and Eugene Domingo. The movie was the highest grossing Filipino film until it was surpassed by Sukob in 2006. It currently ranks no. 6 after You Changed My Life (2009), Sukob (2006), its sequel Ang Tanging Ina Ninyong Lahat (2008–2009), Kasal, Kasali, Kasalo (2006–2007) and A Very Special Love (2008). Incidentally, all of these movies were produced or co-produced by Star Cinema. The film is followed by a television series of the same name and three sequels entitled Ang Tanging Ina N'yong Lahat, Ang Tanging Ina Mo (Last na 'To!) and Enteng Ng Ina Mo. Plot With three dead husbands and twelve children to take care of, what is the modern day working mother supposed to do? Ina Montecillo (Ai-Ai de las Alas) is completely clueless on how to be an income provider and a homemaker at the same time given her dwindling finances of her household. As she desperately hides from her children her efforts to make all ends meet, her children grow resentful of her as she becomes a part of their own problems, but it seems that her best is never good enough. Funnily yet, Ina rallies her cause with all the courage she can muster- to be the best mother she knows how. Cast *Ina Montecillo (Ai-Ai de las Alas): Ina is the wife of Alfredo, Tony, Kiko, and Eddie, and is Juan, Tudis, Tri, Por, Pip, Six, Seven, Cate, Shammy, Ten-Ten, Connie & Sweet's mother. She is Rowena's best friend. She loves her children very much, and will do anything to fulfill their desires. She has worked as a construction worker, illegal DVD seller, vendor, stripper, and other jobs you can think of. She later becomes the savior of several passengers in a bus explosion. In the end, she solves all the problems of her children, and her children becomes proud of her once more. She also marries Eddie, but they can't have another child because of Eddie being involved in a fireworks accident. *Rowena (Eugene Domingo): Rowena is Ina's best friend. She is very supportive towards her, and will do anything to make Ina happy. *Juan Montecillo (Marvin Agustin): Juan is Ina's first child. He has graduated from college, and is the helper of the family. When Juan reveals to his mother that he has proposed to Jenny, Ina scolds him, and he pleads Jenny to join him in escaping their families. In the end, Ina forgives him, and he and Jenny continued their relationship. Years later, they migrate to New Zealand for a new life. *Getrudis "Tudis" Montecillo (Nikki Valdez): Tudis is Ina's second child. A college graduate, she was the only one in the family who was working. She then decides to quit her job, and pursues her desire to become an artist. In the end, she takes her job back, and is contented to be one of the helpers of her family. Years later, she migrates to Canada where she meets the man of her life. *Dimitri "Tri" Montecillo (Carlo Aquino): Tri is Ina's third child. He is a smart student in his college, and was dating Gretchen. But when Gretchen's parents figured out his mother was a stripper, Gretchen breaks up with him. This spoils him, and decides to absent school days. In the end, Ina fixes their relationship, and he and Gretchen get back together. He also decides to continue his studies. *Portia "Por" Montecillo (Heart Evangelista): Por is Ina's fourth child. She has a sassy personality along with a girly flair to her nature, and also has a crush on Jeffrey. She was the one giving her mother the heaviest problem of all, for she desires the "perfect début". In the end, she had her début, with her family and friends invited. She also decides to break up with Jeffrey years later, before migrating to Dubai as a missionary. *Tirso "Pip" Montecillo (Alwyn Uytingco): Pip is Ina's fifth child. He is secretly gay, and his family doesn't know it either. He is in love with Nhel. In the end, Ina accepts his personality, and he & Nhel begin dating. *Sixto "Six" Montecillo (Marc Acueza): Six is Ina's sixth child. He is a smart student, and is fond of declamations and orations. When he invites his mother to a "mass treat", Ina misinterprets it as a "trick or treat" event, humiliating him. In the end, he forgives his mother. Years later, he migrates to United Kingdom to work there as a nurse. *Severina "Seven" Montecillo (Shaina Magdayao): Seven is Ina's seventh child. She is also an intelligent student, and is very fond of essays and programs. But when she becomes the leader of a program with the theme "Bakit Natatangi Ang Aking Ina (Why My Mother Is Very Special)", she becomes afraid Ina will humiliate her. In the end, she finishes the program, and becomes proud of her mother once more. *Catherine "Cate" Montecillo (Serena Dalrymple): Cate is Ina's eighth child. She is a bit of a tomboy, and doesn't attend her school frequently. She causes some of the problems of her siblings such as Six's mass treat and Ten-Ten's disappearance. *Samuel "Shammy" Montecillo (Jiro Manio): Shammy is Ina's ninth child. He was uncircumcised, disappointing him. He takes the chance to be circumcised by an illegal doctor for PHP 50. This causes him to have high fever, another problem to the family. In the end, he says sorry to his mother for being impatient, and later was cured. *Martin "Ten-Ten" Montecillo (Yuuki Kadooka): Ten-Ten is Ina's tenth child. He was revealed to be deaf by Cate, surprising his mother. He was also lost one morning, worrying his family. Later on, Ina finds him in the local church. Also in the end credits, his family teaches him the sign language to communicate with them. *Jenny (Kaye Abad): Jenny is Juan's college girlfriend. Eventually, they become co-workers at an amusement park. Later on, Juan proposes to her, which she accepts. After Juan was scolded by his mother, they both escape their families and lived their own life. But after finding out Juan wasn't ready yet, they both decide to return to their respective homes. In the end, she and Juan continued their relationship. Years later, she and Juan migrated to New Zealand for a new life. *Gretchen (Angelica Panganiban): Gretchen is Tri's high school girlfriend. She comes from a rich family, wherein her parents gives the best for her. After her parents find out Ina was a stripper, she decides to break up with him. Later on, Ina pleads to her to continue her relationship with Tri. In the end, she and Tri get back together. *Jeffrey (John Prats): Jeffrey is Por's high school crush. He also becomes Por's escort at her début. Years later, Por breaks up with him.In the second tanging ina, he became the boyfriend of Seven at first Ina doesn't agree with their relationship but comes to understand it in the end. *Eddie (Dennis Padilla): Eddie is a taxi driver whom Ina met when Shammy was in the hospital. He was in love at first sight with Ina. He was later involved in a fireworks accident, damaging his bottom. He marries Ina, but because of the accident, they can no longer have another child. *Tony (Edu Manzano): Tony is Ina's first husband. He is Juan, Tudis, Tri & Por's father. During a gamble, Tony is blocked by spectators. He stands on a stool, trying to see the two fighting insects. He later outbalances, breaking his spinal cord & column. *Alfredo (Tonton Gutierrez): Alfredo is Ina's second husband. He is Pip, Six, Seven & Cate's father. He had a fatal fall from an overpass, breaking his back. *Kiko (Jestoni Alarcon): Kiko is Ina's third husband. He is Shammy, Ten-Ten, Connie & Sweet's father. During their wedding day, the bell's ribbons were electrified accidentally. Thus, when he pulled the ribbon, he was killed shortly. *Gretchen's Parents (Pinky Amador) and (Mandy Ochoa): Gretchen's parents are well-behaved, and will give anything for their daughter. At first, they liked Tri, but when they saw Ina as a stripper in the club, they convinced their daughter to break-up with Tri. Uncredited: *Connie & Sweet Montecillo: Portrayed by twin baby girls, Connie & Sweet are minor characters in the film. They didn't cause too much distress to Ina, but are very frequent in crying. (Note: They are important characters for they are Ina's eleventh and twelfth child, and is a major character in the sequel Ang Tanging Ina N'yong Lahat, wherein twins Bianca & Janelle Calma portrayed them.) Production Trivia References * Category:2003 films Category:Philippine films Category:Tagalog-language films Category:2000s comedy films Category:Star Cinema films